This invention relates to the manual cutting and searing of fabrics woven substantially of synthetic thermoplastic-fiber thread such as may be generally characterized by polyester or other resin based thread filament such as rayon, nylon, acrylic, dacron, kevlar.TM., etc., hereinafter simply refered to as the "fabric"; which is usually found combined with a natural stabilizing filiment such as cotton or wool.
More specifically, this invention pertains to convenient apparatus preferably devised in the form of a handtool such as would characterize a hot-blade or hot-scissor implement which may be employed to attain a more finished edge particularly free from tendancy to become threadbare; --such as would be defined as having thready strands eventually extending out from along an otherwise cleanly cut fabric edge achieved through use of an ordinary razor-knife or sharp scissor implement.
Heretofore, a seamstress or upholster person would usually employ conventional scissors in cutting out their fabric pattern, then necessarily have to resort to use of an open flame or other improvised means in effort to fuse away the raw cut end fibers which immediately tend to fray unattractively. This fusing of the fibers is refered to herein as a searing process, and actually involves the melting together of the individual resinous-strands so as to achieve a practically permanent integrity from fraying at the edge.
Accordingly, remotely related art of note ranges from U.S. Pat's. such as early No. 2,972,669 (filed 10/1957) dealing with the notion of a substantially conventional vertically moving bandsaw-blade (wire) which is heated locally at the work, so as to eliminate the necessity of sawteeth; and was said to cauterize (i.e. -sear) the exposed ends of plastic fabrics.
Next, U.S. Pat. No. 3,486,957 (filed 5/1966) dealing with a method of `pinking` a selvedged fabric edge by transversley oscilliating a heated wire arranged to cut perpendicularly to the fabric plane. Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,683,791 (filed 1/1984) and 4,601,224 (filed 10/1984) deal with the cutting of urethane-foam blocks into custom sculptured 3-D shapes of various sorts; --the idea being to easily cut through the resinous-foam (soft or rigid) via a suitable electrically resistance-heated wire, which locally only, melts the foam in a resulting precision-cut manner.
More notable, is U.S. Pat. No. 3,483,778 (filed 12/1969) which deals with a lable production machine having a feeder-roll capable of sequentially timed advancing of fabric lables in cooperation with lowering of a heated cutting-blade relative to a table mounted stationary blade; whereby the lable fabric feeds transversly to the direction of the blade cut.
Still more relevant invention-art is notable in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,362 (filed 5/1985), wherein an elaborate reciprocating hot-blade system is set forth in the form of a computer-controlled production work-table; whereby a stack of thermoplastic fabrics may be volume cut to a particular pattern simultaneously. In this invention-art, the means of cutting the fabric is still via a necessarily sharp reciprocating blade leading-edge, which is employed to cut out non-resinous fabrics as well. The object of the invention being to provide a readily heatable blade body when resin-based fabrics are being cut, so as to eliminate the problem of airborne fibers and fiberous-dust, which is apparently generated in considerable amounts when stacks of plush-piled or fleecy fabrics such as velour or velvet are being handled.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,898 (filed 3/1978) sets forth a rotary-blade (no teeth) set into a special housing having a resistance-heated electric-element set therein, so as to radiantly heat the cutting-edge; --the purpose being, to more readily volume slit plastic roll-stock material.
With the affore described invention art revealed, it should be noted that the present invention to now be set forth is under development for production as the HotScizzor.TM. by the Searssor Mfg./Mkt Co of SanDiego-Calif., under the guidance of Inventech-R&D Co. of the same city.